- The “Special Envoy” met Martin Eberhard, co-founder of Tesla and the true designer of electric cars
- He explains that Elon Musk is not an engineer but an entrepreneur
- Despite being dethroned by Elon Musk, “Mr. Tesla” shows no bitterness
In the heart of the California mountains, away from the hustle and bustle of big cities, the man has a unique perspective on the automotive industry. His name is Martin Eberhard, and he’s one of the true pioneers of the electric car revolution.
He co-founded Tesla, and was instrumental in creating the brand that is now synonymous with luxury electric cars. The Special Envoy had the opportunity to meet with this engineerwhose story has often been overshadowed by that of Elon Musk, the charismatic and controversial businessman who took the helm of Tesla.
Who is Martin Eberhard, the creator of Tesla cars?
Martin Eberhard is an engineer by training, passionate about technology and the pursuit of a cleaner world. Before Tesla, the idea of an electric car was largely associated with a golf cart—slow, ugly, and definitely not fun to drive.
But Martin Eberhard saw beyond those perceptions and believed in a future where electric cars could rival their petrol-powered counterparts in luxury and performance. It is full of praise On the road It’s designed, so it can reach 105 kilometers per hour in just four seconds, thanks to its induction motor and lithium batteries.
The masked green engineer created the first electric car prototype in 2000. A car that didn’t pollute and could curb our dependence on oil.
But at that time, he lacked the means to launch a brand and auto giants laughed in his face. That’s when Elon Musk came into the picture. The future entrepreneur SpaceX was the first to realize that the cheap electric car approach was not the right one and decided to invest in the project.
From 2003 to 2007, Martin Eberhard and Elon Musk worked together to revive Tesla, but their collaboration ended. When Martin Eberhard was fired from the company.
Elon Musk and Martin Eberhard: Two very different men
The differences are clear between Martin Eberhard and Elon Musk. The first is a vegetarian, convinced that protecting the planet requires reducing consumption and birth control. For his part, Elon Musk is the father of nine children to three different women, and he firmly believes that it is the limitless technological development that will save our civilization.
Despite their differences and his breakup with Tesla, Eberhard shows no bitterness. On the contrary, he says “I’m glad I started this revolution”Of course, that’s what really matters to him.
Although popular accounts have The tendency to glorify Elon Musk As the brains behind Tesla, it’s important to remember that this pioneering company’s story doesn’t end with him. It even started with Martin Eberhard, with his vision of an architect and his commitment to the environment. The real “Mr. Tesla”.